


Hello

by reginahalliwell



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, F/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-03
Updated: 2015-12-03
Packaged: 2018-05-04 15:50:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5339756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reginahalliwell/pseuds/reginahalliwell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Years after the end of Mockingjay, Gale comes by just to say "Hello."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hello

**Author's Note:**

> Listen to Adele's "Hello" while reading this. I listened to it while writing it, and "Hello" is clearly the inspiration.

“Hello,” he says, knowing he has no right to the word as it leaves his mouth.

In the aftermath of the revolution, the primrose grows in the Victor’s Village of what used to be District 12, and that’s about the only thing that appears to be flourishing. The people, what few still live, have not flocked back to their home district, and Gale understands why. There’s too much pain here. He’s caused too much pain here.

She turns to look at him, a toddler at her side, playing in the dirt where Prim’s namesake flowers. It’s the same Katniss, his Katniss, though it’s been years since he’s seen her.

“Hello,” she says back, and it doesn’t even sound like her voice cracks as she says it, though she is more surprised at this than he is.

It’s been years since that bomb killed Prim – his bomb? They both still wonder – and neither of them will ever be able to forgive him for it. He runs through the whole thing in his mind again, just like he does every day, every day since that day years ago. Time hasn’t made it any better. It shouldn’t – he can’t make it any better for Katniss, so why should he suffer any less?

“How are you?” he asks, the small talk falling off his lips before he can say something more meaningful. He knows how she is. Katniss Everdeen-Mellark. Two children. Still suffers from PTSD. Wonderful mother. 

She doesn’t answer, and it doesn’t matter. They knew each other too well. 

Instead, Katniss reaches down to her young son, whose blond hair reminds Gale too much of Prim’s. She pulls the toddler up off the ground and holds him up. “Here,” she says, gathering him up. “Say ‘Hello’ to Gale.”


End file.
